Refitting memorabilia and sentimental artifacts

Halloween,my favorite time of year and yet one I haven't gone too all out for because I am either sick or working these days.Because of that cramp in my lifestyle, I allowed it to kneecap my creativity for costuming for the event. Not this year,irregardless of whether I can get to a party or not I will make my killer Halloween costume; this one demonstrated by the action figure.

I have always wanted to make this but put it off because of the amount of wool it would take to make the riding coat, in addition to the cost of the pattern itself. I battle with my budget,my paycheck balances,and my student loans and I go through enough Chap Stick being on the phone putting off the inevitable that I get burned out and won' t want to anything for another day--until,that is,fall comes around and my favorite time of year kicks off. Then I get resentful that I can't do anything for whatever reason that comes up.But with that,comes inspiration.

Once upon a time I liked to go to the occasional festival or renaissance faire,and one of the first purchases I make was a wool cloak with a capelet.When I got this, it was around Beltane or May 1st thereabouts, and it was my workhorse in the travel wardrobe; the heavy black coating felt with the red lining kept me warm and comfortable under the stars and in tents. The cloak make it out to a number of festivals before I hung it up pretty much for good a few years ago. I would always look at it and relive the fond memories that were created when I had it with me. An opportunity last year for a pirate Easter weekend brought it out again, here it is:

The cloak reaches the floor,the felt hat had it's band removed that weekend so I could wear it in relative comfort (too bad the band couldn't be saved)and it held up even when it snowed outside Easter morning.A great event,then back in the box it went until now.

I think I have reached a point that I am no longer afraid of gutting my faire garb for stuff like a Halloween costume,my attachments to my clothes now seem ridiculous in hindsight since I had my fun and there is no reason to keep a souvenir if the item's going to be burdensome.That is a liberating feeling, and that frees me up to take advantage what I have on hand without second-guessing my decisions. If I do,oops in small letters and not the insane font size and characters.

Right now the lining is off of the cloak and the capelet, the hood is now off, and I put together a multi-layered capelet to fluff up the neck a bit